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matted tatt JOSIAH LETCHWORTH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 102,138, dated April 19, 1870.

IMPRovEn EAMES FOR HARNESS The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thes'ame.

I, JosIaH -LEToHwoRTrn of the city of Buffalo,

in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Iflames,` of which the following is a specification. J

lhe draft-staples of llames being inserted. at a point considerably below the center thereof, and the heme-straps or other fastenings which secure the lower ends of the haines together being attached to loops at the .lower ends of these met-allicback-straps, it is evident that a inueh* greater strain comes on the lower portion of the haines and back-strap than on the npper portions'thereof. To properly withstand this strain, the back-straps have hitherto been nn'ide wholly of wrought iron. 'In order to protect the wood at the upper ends of thehames, and to give them a more finished and ornamental appearance, a metallic cap or socket has been applied thereto.

v,The end of the harne is so` reduced in size and strength in-tting and securing the tip thereon, that the latter is extremely liable to become detached by the breaking of the wood at the lower edge of the tip. My invention consists in making tne upper portion of the back-strap `of malleable metal, with a cap or socket cast therewith to receive the top ofthe haines, and then welding` this cast upper portion to a wroughtiron lower portion, so as to iorin a back-strap which shallpossess the required strength of wrought iron where great strength is required, and, at the same time, improve the appearance ot' the upper portion ot` the haine, and render the connection of the tip therewith secure.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure lis a front view of ,a llame provided with i my improved back-strap.

Figure II is an enlarged sectional view of the upper portion ofthehame.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in each of the ligures.

'A is the wooden haine, and vB B the met-allie strap applied to the back thereof. The lower portion B is made of wrought iron in the ordinary manner. The upper portion B' is east with the socketed tip b forming a part thereof, and is then welded to the wrought-iron portion, as shown at c.

Casting the portion B enables the tip or cap b to be rezullytorined with it, and the back or outer side of the strap rounded, so as to give it a more nished and ornamental appearance without any additional expense. V

The opper end of the haine is fitted in the socket ot' the tip b, and the strap then attached to the llame in the ordinary manner by nails or rivets, suitable holes for the saine and for the staple of the rein-ring e being` cast in the portion B.

My improved construction of the socketed tip and back-strap together enables the strap to be more readily applied to the haine-stick when the latter is formed and finished before being,r heilt, the socket at the end servinr as a clan'ip or stop for the end of the haine, to prevent the slipping of the liber during the y process oi' bending.

'A metallic backfstrap for wooden haines, composed of a lower port-ion, B, of wrought iron, welded to an upper cast portion, B', of malleableiron, provided with a socketed tip, b, substantially as and for the purpose hcreinbofore set fort-h.

JOSIAI-I LETCHWORTH.

\Vitnesses:

F. D. DANFORTH, R. H. DANFoR'rH. 

